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Oct. 16, 1934. R. DE REYTERE 1,977,176

GRATE FOR FIREPLACES Filed Feb. 20, 1955 0 ATTORNEY- Patented Get. 16, 1934 UNITED STATES GRATE FOR FIREPLACES Robert de Reytere, Moustier-sur-Sambre, Belgium Application February 20, 1933, Serial No. 657,541 In Belgium February 24, 1932 4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in grates employed in fireplaces for the combustion of coal.

It is known that the walls of a fireplace generally serve as guides for the gases formed, and that the coal burns more rapidly at the periphery of the grate near the walls than the central part.

More particularly, when fuel is added, the part of this fuel which lies in the central zone undergoes a distillation followed by an incomplete combustion of the gases which form in the newly added mass of fuel. Consequently, latent heat is lost in the gases that escape and the efliciency of the combustion is lowered.

The object of the present invention is to remedy this drawback and to provide a grate which permits a uniform distribution of the primary air required for the combustion, and also the secondary air for the combustion of the gases that distill from the mass of coal and would escape without being burnt if they were not brought into contact with the necessary oxygen for their combustion. With this object in view, the grate forming the subject matter of the invention is essentially characterized by the special arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.

, H on the annexed drawing which shows a form of embodiment of a grate according to the invention- Figure 1 is a plan view of the grate,

Figure 2 is a section taken along the line 22 in Figure 1, and shows the position of the grate with respect to the walls of the fire place,

Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 in Figure l.

As shown in these figures, the grate, for example of circular shape in the horizontal plane, is arranged in the interior of a fireplace, the walls of which are shown at 1 (Figure 2) and has in general a conical shape. The bars 2 which are integral with the periphery 3 or base and which may be provided with teeth 4, appear in the direction of their length (Figure 3) to he stepped and form platforms 5 connected by inclined parts 6. I

In the vertical center line of this grate and. above two bars '7 and 8 which occupy the central part of the grate is arranged a chimney 9 formed by a body 10 covered by a cap 11 and having at its upper part orifices 12 for the outlet of the air which penetrates into the chimney through the space 13 situated between the bars '7 and 8. 55 .I Under these conditions the layer of fuel is Qistributed over the conical grate in a fairly uniform manner, that is to say the layer of fuel has a relatively constant thickness over each point of the grate. The primary air passes through this layer in a uniform manner and no longer tends to run solely along the walls of the fireplace.

Moreover, the presence of the chimney 9 ensures a supply of secondary air at the apex of the mass of fuel for the combustion of the gases which would tend to escape from the mass without being completely burnt.

The conical shape of the grate already forms a chimney for drawing in primary air, and this shape also ensures as a consequence a more rational and more natural distribution of the fuel in the fire place, and also a uniform distribution of the primary air required for the combustion.

Finally, the arrangement of grate according to the invention permits the secondary air to become heated in passing through the chimney before it reaches the upper layer of the fuel where it has to combine with the gases which escape.

What I claim is:

1. In a grate for a fireplace, in combination, a base, grate bars integral with said base, said bars having a height increasing toward the vertical center line of said grate and being arranged in parallel planes to form ascending and descending steps in the direction transverse to said parallel planes, said bars having projections forming ascending and descending steps in the direction longitudinal of said parallel planes, and said grate having vertical passages between said bars. 2. In a grate for a fireplace, in combination, a base, grate bars integral with said base, said bars having a height increasing toward the vertical center line of said grate and being arrange in parallel planes to form ascending and descending steps in the direction transverse to said parallel planes, said bars having projections forming ascending and descending steps in the directicn longitudinal of said parallel planes, said grate having vertical passage between said bars and two of said bars being arranged adjacent to but on opposite sides of said vertical center line, a chimney supported on said bars and arranged over said center line, said chimney having a vertical channel for secondary air, the length of said channel being such as to permit the escape of the air in the gases produced by the combustion of the coal in the central part of the grate.

3. In a curvilinear grate for a fireplace, in combination, a base, grate bars integral with said base, said bars having a height increasing to- .ward the vertical center line of the grate and 4. A device as in claim 3, wherein two of said bars are situated adjacent to but on opposite sides of said vertical center line, a chimney supported on said bars and located over said vertical center line, said chimney having a channel for secondary air.

7 ROBERT DE REYTERE. 

